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Getting Ready for Mountain Lion: Dictation
Mountain Lion is about to debut one of my favorite features ever: Dictation. With built-in support for speech-to-text, OS X Mountain Lion allows you to talk instead of type in nearly every app on the system. You'll be able to access dictation using a simple keyboard shortcut, a double click on the Function (fn) key. And if your keyboard doesn't have one available, or if you prefer another choice, System Preferences allows you to customize that shortcut. Dictation will be integrated with many system features, including Contacts, so it will more accurately recognize your colleagues' names. You don't have to worry that "Victor Agreda" will transform into "Vic tore a gray dar". (Although, truth be told, I'm still struggling to make my iPhone 4S realize that "call Mike Rose's phone" isn't "call microphone", and it uses the same speech-and-contacts integration as Mountain Lion.) If you're using Mountain Lion on a Mac without a built-in microphone (like my 2009 Mac mini), you'll need to hook up one in order to use the dictation features. You can use headsets as well as stand-alone mics. Mountain Lion dictation follows the same rules as Siri. You can dictate punctuation and capitalization as you talk. For example, you can say "hello world exclamation point" and Mountain Lion will type "Hello world!" Other handy meta-items include new line, period, comma, and question mark. Dictation is smart. Say, "Twenty two dollars and 32 cents" and it's automatically transformed into "$22.32." It handles dates, too. Say, "Thursday July Fourth Seventeen Seventy Six at Three P M" and it types "Thursday, July 4, 1776 at 3 PM." You can even say "smiley" and "frowny face" to add emoticons, namely, :-) and :-(, which may or may not please you as the hyphen noses are not exactly standard. Once you start working with dictation, you'll find that it can solve a problem you didn't know you had. Unfortunately, Mountain Lion offers dictation and only dictation. You can't ask a virtual voice assistant to shoot off an email or send a message ... at least not yet! Dictation supports English (U.S., UK, and Australia), French, German, and Japanese. For many new Mac owners, your move to Mountain Lion represents your first major upgrade. To help users prepare to make the jump, Steve Sande and Erica Sadun wrote Getting Ready for Mountain Lion, an Amazon/iBooks eBook. It's aimed at first-time upgraders and people looking for hints and tips about smoothing the transition. We're sharing some of our tips on TUAW in a series of posts about the 10.8 upgrade. OS X Mountain Lion will be offered for sale in July 2012 for $19.99. #next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } #next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }
Sonnet shipping xMac mini server, Echo Express PCIe adapters to follow suit shortly (update)
Sonnet's no stranger to the Thunderbolt peripheral game and it now has three new Thor-approved expansions to ship. The Echo Express adapter packs one X4 mode PCIe 2.0 slot of the x16 flavor, an extra opening for a connector plate or a double-width card and clocks in at a sizeable $599. At a heftier $899 $799, the Pro model sports two of the same slots and support configurations with larger cards. The AC-powered aluminum housings each feature an extra Thunderbolt port to continue the daisy chain and ship out for duty on June 8th. Bent on turning your Mac mini into a server and have $1,295 squirreled away behind a rack? The xMac mini server 1U rackmount enclosure is replacing its older sibling and adds more PCIe 2.0 slot connectivity. Hit the source links for full tech specs on all three. Update: The Echo Express Pro rings up at $799 instead of $899. Sonnet Tech let us know that the RackMac mini Xserver never shipped, but is being revamped as the xMac mini.
Apple reportedly readying numerous Retina display MacBooks and multiple accessories for WWDC
New MacBook Pros are practically a given for WWDC (or, let's just say tears will be shed if they elude us), but now, 9to5Mac is stepping up the expectations in a major way. The outlet is now reporting that we could see two different versions of a revised 15-incher, not to mention Retina display-equipped editions of the 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air. Less certain (but certainly believable) is an iMac refresh, which would again get served with a Retina display, and a fourth major Mac update is apt to see the practically forgotten Mac Pro or the Mac mini updated with bolstered internals. For those following Apple, you'd know that updating so many products at one event isn't a typical move for the company, but Tim Cook's been doing things slightly differently of late -- and honestly, there's no better way to enforce the importance of Retina than to blow it out across the portfolios. Finally, a whole host of new accessories are said to be on tap, with "refreshed keyboards, mice, trackpads and AirPorts" on the list. Hit the source link for the down and dirty, and go ahead and wipe your calendar for June 9th; we'll be liveblogging every last announcement direct from Moscone.
Best Buy Mac discounts hint at clearing inventory, Ivy Bridge revamp coming soon?
Cupertino is unsurprisingly tight-of-lip on when it plans to add Ivy Bridge to its desktop and laptop line, but we think that's not far off: we've even seen some benchmarks. Now, in a move that smacks of inventory clearing but could equally mean nothing, Best Buy has hacked between $20 and $200 from its Mac Mini, iMac, Mac Pro and MacBook Pro offerings. If you're into a bargain, then head down to your nearest big blue-and-yellow store -- and we'll let you know as soon as we see the yellow sticky-note.
OWC releases kit that allows for dual hard drives in 2011 Mac mini
For those keen on expanding the number of hard drives in the 2011 Mac minis, OWC has released a kit that enables users to add a second 9.5 mm or 2.5" SATA hard drive or a solid-state drive to their machines. The US$49.99 kit includes a 5-piece mini toolkit, a tool for removing the logic board, four rubber grommets and hex screws, a Mac mini flex cable and an installation manual. The hard drives must be purchased separately. OWC warns that this installation is not for the faint of heart, and the video below shows how the second hard drive can be added to the Mac mini. [via CNet]
Ask Engadget: Best Mac Mini carrying case?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from is from Kevin, who's decided to abandon laptops for his Mac Mini. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "Hi All. I purchased a 2011 Mac Mini with dedicated graphics for PhotoShop and InDesign. I've grown tired of my Core 2 Duo Laptop, instead I want to bring my Mac Mini to and from work (I've got display, keyboard and mouse at both places so it's not a problem). It might be a weird idea, I wanna try it. Any suggestions on what I can use to carry it, as long as its discrete as I commute quite a bit. Thanks!"Well, we're impressed by his commitment and his plan, but has anyone else made the leap and lived to tell the tale? We've never seen a mac at a LAN party, but that doesn't mean there isn't some exquisite accessories available for the purpose. One, two, you know what to do.(NB: If you don't know what to do, it's to give your helpful suggestions and personal experiences in the comments below)
Intel website leaks full Ivy Bridge lineup
Intel apparently slipped and briefly posted a Spring product list that outed 17 desktop chips and 11 notebook chips. Many of these chips were listed in an earlier leak and could land in Mac and PC hardware this year. The PDF document was pulled from Intel's website, but not before the list was grabbed by ComputerBase. You can check out the list of processors in the graphics below and get a sneak peek at some of the processors and integrated GPUs that Apple might use in revisions of the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac minis or iMacs. [Via Electronista]
Apple releases EFI firmware updates for 2011 Macs, crushes bugs
If you're anything like us, your inner-geek revels in hearing rare system beeps while holding down obscure key combos that only occur while updating low-level firmware. While much of those theatrics have since disappeared in the modern era, those of you with 2011 iMacs, Mac Minis, MacBook Pros and MacBook Airs can at least relive some of that nostalgia as you update them to their latest respective EFI firmwares. There's four versions (one for each machine, naturally), yet Apple tells us they all address the same underlying problems, including improving "the reliability of booting from the network" in addition to addressing "an issue that can prevent HDCP authentication" after reboots. Finally, there's improvements pertaining to "boot device selection when a USB storage device is hot-plugged." Direct links to the respective support pages are below, or those seeking to avoid guesswork can simply go on ahead and fire up Software Update. Your call.
2011 Macs get EFI Firmware Update
Have a 2011 Mac mini, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air and iMac? If Software Update hasn't yet told you about it, there's an EFI Firmware Update available that you might want to install. According to the release notes, "This update improves the reliability of booting from the network, addresses an issue that can prevent HDCP authentication after a reboot, and resolves an issue with boot device selection when a USB storage device is hot-plugged." The direct links to the updates are as follows: Mac mini EFI Firmware Update 1.6 - Mac mini (Mid 2011) iMac EFI Firmware Update 1.9 - iMac (Early 2011) MacBook Air EFI Firmware Update 2.4 - MacBook Air (Mid 2011) MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 2.7 - MacBook Pro (Early 2011) and (Late 2011)
PSA: Can your machine run Mountain Lion?
Ah, compatibility, she can be a cruel mistress, prone to leaving your favorite devices out in the cold and your wallet a few bills lighter. Apple's latest OS update, Mountain Lion, is no different. OS X 10.8 won't run on just any Mac, so, the question is, will it run on yours? Well, if you've got any machine from 2009 or newer the answer is yes. Older than that and things get a little bit shaky. iMacs are the most forgiving, with support starting on the mid-2007 models. Any Pro desktop from early 2008 on should be fine, while Xserves get cut off at early 2009 along with the Mac Mini. The original Air is already getting turned aside and you'll need a late 2008 model (or newer) for the update, while vanilla MacBooks are nearing total obsolescence as support starts with the aluminum models from 2008. Lastly, those of you rocking 15- or 17-inch MacBook Pros should be golden starting with late 2007 models. Oh, and any 13-inch Pro should be good to go.
Apple updates EFI firmware on 2010 Macs: offers Lion internet recovery, not much else
Staring forlorn at that two-year-old MacBook, just sitting there in the corner? Well, there's good news; Apple's decided to furnish those 2010 models with a new EFI firmware update. Arriving on its MacBook Air (late 2010), iMac (mid 2010) and MacBook Pro (early 2010) models, it adds support for Lion's internet-based recovery feature -- something that's very useful for those optical drive-less MacBook Airs and Mac minis. The update also fixes a bug on Air models, where it would reset if the power button was pressed immediately after booting from deep sleep mode. You can consult your Mac's software updater for the new firmware -- it's out there now.
Great things to do with your Mac mini
Today, we celebrated the Mac mini's 7th anniversary. As workhorse machines go, the mini cannot be beat. It provides a great deal of computing power along with a small footprint and plenty of ports for devices. Add any monitor, keyboard, mouse, or trackpad and you're ready to rock and roll. Here are some of our favorite ways to use minis in real life. Media Center. The Mac mini gives you the media power of an Apple TV, a small footprint, and adds computing on top. Connect your Mini to an EyeTV or similar capture system, and you've created a workable DVR solution. Yes, Apple dropped FrontRow support with Lion, but we're very fond of Plex and XBMC. First Development Mac. Intel minis make perfect "first" development Macs, offering a stepping stone into the Apple world for anyone reared on Windows or Linux. You can purchase a Mac, a dev membership, and all the accessories you need to get started with iOS development for under $1000. These minis also act as a gateway drug for many developers. From there, it's onto iMacs and MacBooks. Kid Computers. Nothing says education like mini. Get your students started with a great Mac experience, at an affordable price. Most kid software, browsing, and email will run on older minis, so you can buy refurbished while knowing your kid can still get the job done. Embedded Systems. Minis are easy to deploy to embedded systems, from kiosks to interactive museum exhibits. Their Apple lineage also means that servicing and warranties are taken care of through low-cost AppleCare. Windows Platforms. One word: BootCamp. Your Mac mini may be one of the best Windows systems you ever owned. Got other ways you love to use Mac minis? Join in the comments as we celebrate 7 years of the little Mac that could.
Happy 7th anniversary to the Mac mini
"I wish I had a nickel for every time somebody asked me that," Steve Jobs said as the question "Why doesn't Apple offer a stripped down Mac that is more affordable" flashed up behind him during Macworld 2005 keynote. Today, that stripped-down computer celebrates its seventh anniversary. The Mac mini has had its demise predicted nearly as often as the iPod classic. But the durable little machine keeps chugging on and has inspired everything from a fan of RAID machines to media centers, car stereos and even apple pie. While the Mac mini began its life as a low-end PowerPC G4 machine, current build-to-order models can meet or exceed stock-configuration iMacs. They've become smaller, more powerful, yet are still an excellent switcher machine for those who already own a monitor and keyboard. They also can function as a server or serve a variety of needs for homes and businesses. Here's to you, Mac mini. I expect to still find you around for years to come. You can check out the original introduction from 2006 below.
TUAW Best of 2011: Vote for the best Mac of the year
The nominations are in, and the poll is ready to go! The TUAW Best of 2011 awards are all about you -- the readers -- and what you think is the cream of the crop of Apple or third-party products and software. To vote, select one entry from the top nominations made by readers. We'll be announcing the winner in just a few days. Vote early and often! Today TUAW is asking for your vote for the best Mac of 2011. The nominations included the 2011 version of the Mac mini, the 11" and 13" MacBook Air, the 13" and 15" MacBook Pro and the 27" i7 iMac. Only one of these Macs will win TUAW's top honor for Mac hardware. Which device is the winner is all up to you. %Poll-71616%
Holiday Gift Guide: Buying a Mac
The holiday season is fast approaching which means it's time to start thinking about your loved ones and the gifts they may want to receive. High on the list for some may be a new shiny Mac to replace their old, worn-out computer. It's an expensive gift and one that you'll want to research before you take the plunge. Here are some tips to help you get started with your Mac shopping. Think about usage first Before you even begin looking, you need to decide which Mac model you're going to buy. Apple only makes five products in the Mac line including the Mac mini, the iMac, the MacBook Pro, the MacBook Air and the Mac Pro. The underlying specs on many of these models may be similar, but they are very, very different machines and designed for very different purposes. When buying a Mac, the first thing you need to ask yourself is how is the person going to use their computer. Do they travel or stay at home? Do you they need a media server or a machine for browsing the web? Everybody is different and their needs for a computer will vary, so you should take the time to match the computer to the person who will receive it. Below you will find a description of each Mac product line and how each model is typically used. It should help you narrow down the model best suited for the recipient. If you are knowledgeable about Mac products already, you can skip ahead to our shopping tips which will help you save money on your Mac. Mac mini The Mac mini is a desktop Mac perfect for the person who doesn't need portability. The square, flat mini is slim and stylish which is great for those with a small workspace. It can connect to any monitor via Thunderbolt or HDMI, which makes it ideal for someone like a programmer or photo editor who needs a special display (there is an HDMI to DVI adapter included). The base model ships with a dual-core Intel Core i5 processor and OS X Lion, but there is a quad-core version of the mini with Lion server which is lets you use it as a media, web or file server. This latest version also includes support for Bluetooth 4.0 which will let it connect to a new line of low-power Bluetooth devices for fitness and remote control. The Mac mini still has a Firewire port, in case someone still uses it for storage or video cameras. Starting at $600, the mini is the cheapest Mac available. The Mac mini is a complicated purchase because it ships as a stand-alone unit and does not include an external monitor, external mouse or keyboard. If you are buying the Mac mini as a gift, you should make sure the recipient has these accessories already or buy them yourself in advance. Though the mini will work with any USB keyboard or mouse, Apple makes a wireless keyboard, a wireless Magic Mouse and a wireless Magic Trackpad that work perfectly with the mini. Once you've taken care of the smaller peripherals, you need to think about your choice of a monitor. The mini has a Thunderbolt port that allows it to connect to any Thunderbolt-enabled display. Apple sells a line of Thunderbolt displays which are gorgeous, but pricey. The mini can also connect to a TV via HDMI or a standard monitor using DVI or VGA. You'll need to purchase a cable to connect the Thunderbolt port to the display. The nice part about Thunderbolt is that it's compatible with Apple's older mini-display standard, so any old mini-display cable will work. If you can avoid it, don't buy your mini-display/Thunderbolt cables from a place like Best Buy as you will spend too much money. Monoprice is an excellent place to purchase cables. The online retailer carries a wide variety of cables and their prices can't be beat. Amazon also carries inexpensive cables and shipping is free for Prime members. iMac The iMac is another desktop model, but this Mac is an all-in-one that includes an integrated high-resolution monitor, a keyboard and your choice of a Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad. With its 21.5-inch or larger edge-to-edge monitor, quad-core processor and FaceTime HD camera, the iMac is a great all-around machine that's perfect for a home setting. This latest iMac also includes several USB 2.0 ports, Firewire and support for Bluetooth 4.0 (like the mini). It has Thunderbolt to connect to high-speed peripherals and a mini-display port to connect to a second external monitor as well. Since everything is included in one package, it's an easy buy for someone who doesn't need portability. You basically open the box and have everything you need to get up and running in just a few minutes. It's available in a 21.5-inch size that starts at $1199 and a 27-inch that starts at $1699. MacBook Pro The MacBook Pro is the premier Mac notebook. It's portable, has excellent battery life and ships with a variety of high-end options including a quad-core processor, an integrated DVD-ROM and a high-resolution, anti-glare display. The larger 15-inch and 17-inch models are excellent desktop replacements, while the 13-inch model is a powerful travel companion. The 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pros also include a dedicated graphics card which is useful for photo and video professionals and gamers. The latest version also includes Thunderbolt and Firewire. Unlike the MacBook Air which includes support for Bluetooth 4.0, the MacBook Pro only includes Bluetooth 3.0. That's not a big deal right now as Bluetooth 4.0 is a new standard, but it could be important next year when these fitness and health monitors start hitting the market. The MacBook Pro is my computer choice as I don't travel very often, but want the flexibility of being able to use my computer at my desk, in front or the TV and sometimes on the porch. It provides the perfect mix of power and portability for the person who isn't always traveling with their notebook. It's available in 13-inch, 15-inch and 17-inch models. Pricing starts at $1199 for the 13-inch, $1799 for the 15-inch and $2499 for the 17-inch. MacBook Air The MacBook Air shares similar specs as the MacBook Pro, but is lighter and significantly smaller. It has a razor-thin design that's simply gorgeous. It lacks a an optical drive of any kind (although Apple sells an external one separately) and has an SSD drive which makes the Air as small as possible, but also yields fast response times and better battery life. The latest version also includes Thunderbolt, Firewire and support for Bluetooth 4.0. It's highly portable and still powerful, two factors that make it one of the best selling Mac models. It's great for students, business people and anyone else who has to carry their Mac around with them on a regular basis. The MacBook Air is available in an 11-inch model that starts at $999 and a 13-inch model that starts at $1299. (Update: The MacBook Air can work with Firewire peripherals, but only through an intermediate device hooked up via the Thunderbolt port, such as Apple's Thunderbolt Display or Sonnet's forthcoming Echo ExpressCard/34 Thunderbolt adapter. --Ed) Mac Pro The Mac Pro is a desktop powerhouse designed for heavy duty computing. It's used by video and photo-editing professionals who run applications that can take advantage of the 6-, 8- and 12-core processor options. It hasn't received an update this year and, as a result, is getting a bit long in the tooth. The Mac Pro is the only Mac model in Apple's lineup without Thunderbolt. It's also the most expensive Mac around and has a price tag that starts at $2499. Places to shop Once you decide what Mac model to buy, you should do some comparison shopping. Unlike PCs which are often steeply discounted, Mac models rarely go on sale. They are a premium product and fetch a premium price, but with some savvy shopping you can save yourself a few hundred dollars. The first place you need to look is Apple's retail store which will give you an idea of the base price and configuration for each model. You can look at both brick and mortar Apple stores and the online store as their prices are comparable. Shopping in Apple's official stores may be the most expensive option, but you will get buying assistance from the store employees and you have the ability to add advanced options like a 7200 RPM hard drive or a high-resolution display. Sometimes, Apple also offers free printers and other bonuses not available at third-party retailers. In addition, Apple's online store has an outlet where you can purchase refurbished models at a discount. These refurbished machines are usually a few hundred dollars cheaper and come with Apple's standard one-year warranty. If you want to look outside of Apple's retail chain, there are several retailers that carry Apple products. Amazon, Best Buy, MacMall and MacConnection are four that come to mind. Best Buy even carries select models in their brick and mortar stores, so you can compare the quality of the Mac with their less expensive PC counterparts. If you have never used a Mac, you'll be amazed at their solid build quality and beautiful design. Most of these third-party retailers will offer Mac products with a slight discount. You'll lose out on any offers Apple has, but you can save yourself $50 to $150 by shopping at a these retailers. If you want to keep track of any discounts or special offers on Mac products, you should check out DealMac, an Apple-Oriented version of the popular DealNews website. Each day, Deal Mac lists new sales that include Mac models and all their accessories. What about used Macs? if you find the prices of regular retail Macs too expensive, you can turn to the resale market for your shopping needs. You can search for a reasonable deal on a used or older Mac at places like eBay and Craigslist. But I must warn you, Macs are well-made machines and they hold their value very well. Don't expect to find a recent MacBook Pro for $200. Nonetheless, you still can save yourself several hundred dollars by buying a used or older Mac. Sometimes, you can find an excellent deal. I recently picked up a fully-functional 2009 Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro for $350 on Craigslist. Shopping used does come with some risks. Most used machines don't include a warranty and you usually can't fully test them before you purchase. eBay does offer warranties through Square Trade and has a buyer protection policy, but Craigslist is like the wild west with little to no protection. You can still get a great deal on Craigslist, you just have to be a bit more selective and find a seller that'll let you fire up the machine before you hand over your money. If you want a safe bet, you can check out Apple's online outlet. As mention above, you can grab a refurbished Mac at a discount and it includes a one-year warranty, too. You'll also want to make sure the Mac you are buying is up-to-date. Back in 2006, Apple made the switch to the Intel platform and its latest OS X versions require this Intel hardware. Older Macs have PowerPC components that are no longer compatible with OS X Snow Leopard 10.6 and Lion 10.7. These PowerPC Macs may be super cheap, but they are obsolete. Thankfully, these models are old enough that you don't see too many of them listed for sale, but they are still out there and you need to be aware of them. Good luck finding the right Mac for whomever you're shopping for, even yourself. Stay tuned to TUAW for more gift guides in the weeks leading up to the holidays.
Engadget's holiday gift guide 2011: desktops
Welcome to the Engadget Holiday Gift Guide! We're well aware of the heartbreaking difficulties surrounding the seasonal shopping experience, so we're here to help you sort out this year's tech treasures. Below is today's bevy of curated picks, and you can head back to the Gift Guide hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the holiday season. Just because most folks have moved onto lighter and more portable playthings doesn't mean there aren't those of you that still enjoy some good old-fashioned "real computing" -- you know, of the immovable persuasion. We jest, as despite their waning sales, desktops still serve an important role in the PC market, especially for those of you serious about all-out performance or a no-frills experience. And, while the pace of innovation in a once burgeoning category has slowed to a consolidated tranquil pace, there are still some hotspots of innovation -- especially around all-in-ones and high-end gaming solutions. As you mavericks press on, so will we, so join us after the break as we suggest some of our favorite desktops for your holiday perusal.
On the Mac Pro's future
The Mac Pro is a strange outlier among Apple's products. It's insanely powerful, but it's priced out of the reach of most mortals. It's by far Apple's most "traditional" computer; the Mac Pro is a tower you can crack open and customize quite easily, far different from its sealed-up cousins the iMac, Mac mini, and the MacBook line. The Mac Pro's design is positively ancient by Apple's standards, with only minor cosmetic alterations since its predecessor, the Power Mac G5, debuted in 2003. It's also a neglected product, last updated in July of 2010, and currently the only Mac Apple sells which has no Thunderbolt connectivity. All of this led us to ask awhile back whether the Mac Pro has much of a future left. According to AppleInsider, people at Apple itself are asking that very same question. Citing "people familiar with the matter," AppleInsider says that back in May of 2011 management was "in limbo" on whether or not to discontinue the Mac Pro in the face of faltering sales. Predicting what Apple will do with regards to its products is a dangerous game. We learned that the hard way when a source we trusted told us the iPod classic and iPod shuffle were getting the axe this year. Apple apparently decided both products were still profitable enough to keep around, and that's really the bottom line for the future of any product in Apple's pipeline: if it still makes money, Apple will keep making a product until it has something better to replace it. When a product doesn't make Apple money, it's unsentimental about dropping the guillotine. There are arguments both for and against discontinuing the Mac Pro, and I've outlined a few of them below. Ultimately Apple's going to do what's in its own best interests, so bear that in mind as we wade through a puddle of speculation sauce. Why Apple might keep the Mac Pro around Power: Although the iMac is an extremely powerful machine in its own right, the Mac Pro's performance still kicks the iMac's butt all the way up and down the block. Benchmark performance in Geekbench shows the 12-core 2.93 GHz Mac Pro coming in with an astounding score of 21,789. That's nearly twice the 11,581 score earned by the most powerful iMac, a quad-core 3.4 GHz model. Benchmarks only tell part of the story, however. A Mac Pro that's been maxed-out on Apple's online store with as much RAM and hard disk capacity as you can shove into it is a Godzilla of a machine: Two 2.93 GHz 6-Core Intel Xeon processors (for a total of 12 cores) 8 TB of internal storage 64 GB of RAM Two ATI Radeon HD 5770 with 1 GB of video RAM -- each. The best you can do with an iMac via Apple's configuration options? 3.4GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7 2 TB HDD + 256 GB SSD 16 GB RAM AMD Radeon HD 6970M with 2 GB of video RAM The top-end iMac is an incredibly powerful machine by consumer and even professional standards, but a fully-upgraded Mac Pro is practically ostentatious in the amount of raw processing power it can wield. Professional consumers in areas like 3D rendering, video editing, and other extremely processor-intensive applications surely appreciate the much greater power the Mac Pro can afford them. Customization: The Mac Pro stomps the iMac in the customization department. Folding down the Mac Pro's side door gives you easy and almost instant access to its innards, and virtually every component is simple to swap out. Hard drives in particular are extraordinarily easy to swap in the Mac Pro. Contrast that with the iMac, where the RAM is essentially the only user-serviceable component. Swapping out the hard drive on an iMac is a harrowing procedure that requires removing the entire front display -- not something you're going to want to do more than once, if ever. You could argue that the iMac's Thunderbolt capability vastly expands its customization options (and I will, later on), but it still doesn't quite measure up to the amount of customization available to a Mac Pro. Server applications: Since the discontinuation of the Xserve, the Mac Pro is Apple's only high-end server option. The Mac mini server simply doesn't measure up to the performance you can get out of a Mac Pro server -- it's not even close. The Mac mini server is a decent choice for low- to medium-demand applications, but if you need powerful servers (and want to stick with OS X Server), the Mac Pro is the only game in town. Bottom line: While it hasn't been updated in over a year, the Mac Pro is still by far Apple's most powerful and most customizable Mac. Though the iMac's performance and much lower price are driving the Mac Pro out of the consumer market and increasingly pigeonholing it into the "pro" niche, the fact remains that for some applications and some customers the Mac Pro is still the best choice. Why Apple might discontinue the Mac Pro The niche: Outside of a very few specific applications, a vast number of customers who might have bought a Mac Pro now opt for an iMac instead. Many high-end media shops have decided the iMac affords them enough power for their needs and at a much more comfortable price than the Mac Pro. We've been told that even Apple's own developers have largely moved to the iMac. When it was first introduced, and for much of the last decade, the iMac was unquestionably a consumer-grade product. But recent advances have put it within throwing distance of the Mac Pro's performance, and the most powerful iMacs afford users enough processing power that for many applications a Mac Pro is simply no longer necessary. In years past the iMac may not have been "enough machine" for professional photographers or other media types, but that's no longer the case in all but an increasingly smaller set of circumstances. With the rising power of the iMac and Apple's portables, the list of applications where the Mac Pro is the optimal Mac for the job is getting shorter and shorter every year. It's become a niche product compared to Apple's other Macs, and Apple isn't known for keeping niche products around forever. The ones Apple does keep around wind up being neglected, sometimes for years. Witness the Xserve, a product even more niche than the Mac Pro, now discontinued. The iPod classic is a niche product too, without even a minor update in more than two years and blogosphere calls of "dead iPod walking" every September. Over the past decade Apple has increasingly focused on products with wider appeal while slowly paring away the "pro" market. Apple offers far fewer "pro" software applications now than it did in the past, and even the ones it's kept around have been tweaked to give them broader appeal to the "prosumer" market -- Final Cut Pro X is a good example of this, and it's also a potential harbinger of Apple's true disposition toward the "pro" market. When I hear that even internally at Apple developers are moving to iMacs, I can't help but hear an ominously tolling bell for the Mac Pro. Thunderbolt: Every Mac now offers Thunderbolt connectivity, even the MacBook Air -- every Mac except the Mac Pro, that is. Thunderbolt offers extraordinary I/O capabilities and vastly expands the customization options for every Mac that supports it. An iMac may not offer much internal storage compared to what a Mac Pro can support, but once you plug in a RAID array via Thunderbolt that gap closes very quickly. The power of Thunderbolt doesn't stop at external storage; it can drive multiple external displays, provide fast connections to peripherals, and even connect to rigs that accept PCI cards, basically replicating many of the capabilities of the Mac Pro. Thunderbolt doesn't completely close the gap between an iMac and a Mac Pro, but it makes that gap less relevant for many consumers and drives the Mac Pro even farther into its niche status. The money: More than anything else, this is what's going to determine the Mac Pro's future. All the arguments for keeping the Mac Pro on the market simply melt away if Apple isn't making any money on it. The numbers are not especially encouraging. In Q4 2010, Apple sold 1.24 million desktop Macs for a total of US$1.68 billion in revenue. A year later, sales amounted to 1.28 million desktop Macs for $1.69 billion in revenue. The year-over-year change amounted to a scant 3 percent rise in unit sales and a 1 percent increase in revenue. Apple doesn't break these sales down by model, but with the Mac Pro competing for sales with both the iMac and Mac mini, it's unlikely that it amounts to a large proportion of Apple's overall desktop sales. In fact, with the Mac Pro an increasingly niche product and effectively stagnating (and unlikely to receive any upgrades until early 2012), it's very likely that Mac Pro sales have steeply declined year-over-year, with increased sales of 2011-model iMacs and Mac minis just barely pushing the desktop lineup back into profitability. If the Mac Pro is indeed losing money for Apple, you could make a strong argument that some of the blame falls on Apple itself. Since March of 2009, the Mac Pro has received only two major updates. During the same period, the iMac and Mac mini have both been updated four times. Some of the Mac Pro's stagnation may be due to limited availability of pro-class processors -- delays in Intel's production of next-gen Sandy Bridge processors are reportedly one root cause behind the Mac Pro's lack of updates. No matter where the blame falls, it's getting harder to recommend a Mac Pro to anyone at this point, even to professional customers who need the extra power the machine affords. Bottom line: Apple's focus has clearly shifted away from the professional market that was once its bread and butter. Power Macs once made up the majority of Apple's unit sales and profits, but that hasn't been true for years. Take a look at the current numbers: Unit sales of portable Macs outnumber desktop Mac sales by nearly three to one. iTunes Store and iPod accessory revenues almost equal revenues from desktop sales. iPhone unit sales exceed desktop Mac sales by over 13 to one. iPad unit sales exceed desktop Mac sales by nearly nine to one. Revenues from desktop Mac sales account for only six percent of Apple's overall revenues. Keep in mind that those comparisons are for all Mac desktops, which includes the Mac mini, iMac, and the Mac Pro. If we want to be extremely generous and say the Mac Pro accounts for a full third of desktop sales, it still means Mac portables outsell it nine to one, iPhones by 39 to one, and iPads by 27 to one, with revenues from sales of the most expensive Mac making up perhaps three percent of Apple's overall revenues (I gave the Mac Pro an extra percentage point since it's that much more expensive than the iMac). If Mac Pros account for much less than a third of desktop sales (and I don't think anyone could convincingly argue otherwise), the Mac Pro's future gets even grimmer. All of the arguments for the iMac's unsuitability for high-end applications blow away like leaves in the wind if Apple isn't making money selling the Mac Pro. Prognosis: There are certainly arguments for keeping the Mac Pro around -- despite over a year of neglect, it remains Apple's most powerful Mac, and for certain applications Apple simply offers no substitute for the power it affords. At the same time, the arguments for keeping the Mac Pro around sound ominously similar to the arguments that sprang up around this time last year when news of the Xserve's impending demise became public. Obviously some consumers actually do need what the Mac Pro offers, but are there enough of them to justify keeping it on the market? Only Apple knows for sure, but the numbers aren't looking good. Apple has already shown that it won't hesitate to exit from market segments that don't drive profitability, and if it turns out the Mac Pro isn't contributing to Apple's balance sheet, expect the axe to fall swiftly.
Apple issues firmware updates, Thunderbolt software update, more
Apple has issued a number of updates this week, in addition to iPhoto 9.2.1. Here's what's newly available. Thunderbolt Software Update 1.1 is for those using Lion on a Thunderbolt-equipped Mac. Apple says it "provides support for the Apple Thunderbolt Display and bug fixes for Thunderbolt device compatibility." Mac OS X 10.7.2 or later is required. iMac EFI Firmware Update 1.7 is for early 2011 iMacs. According to Apple, this update "enables Lion Recovery from an Internet connection and includes fixes that resolve issues with Apple Thunderbolt Display compatibility and Thunderbolt Target Disk Mode performance on iMac (early 2011) models." MacBook Air EFI Firmware Update 2.2 is for mid-2011 MacBook Airs and offers stability improvements, resolves Thunderbolt display compatibility issues and improves Lion recovery from an Internet connection. Mac mini EFI Firmware Update 1.4 is for mid-2011 Mac minis and offers, you guessed it, improved stability of Lion Recovery from an Internet connection and fixes for Thunderbolt Display compatibility. Plus, improved Thunderbolt Target Disk Mode. MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 2.3 is also available (are you sensing a trend?). This update is for early 2011 MacBook Pros and it improves the stability of Lion Recovery from an Internet connection, fixes Thunderbolt Display compatibility and fixes Thunderbolt Target Disk Mode.
Daily Update for October 25, 2011
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen.
Bentley offers Mac mini, iPads option for 100,000 euros
Bentley is showcasing a new Apple-centric option in its Mulsanne line of luxury automobiles. The add-on package will install one Mac mini and two iPads in the over-sized V8 Touring car. The Mac mini is hidden in the trunk and connected to an LCD installed on the interior ceiling. The LCD swivels down from the ceiling and sits in between the rear seats. There's even a Magic Trackpad to control the computer. In the center console, there are controls that open two trays in the back of the front seats. Each tray has an iPad with a Bluetooth keyboard so you can work while you're being chauffeured all over the town. This highly desirable Apple package is a concept Bentley is showing off. It may or may not land in an actual car. If it is eventually offered, the package will cost 100,000 euro (US $138,580) on top of the car's 250,000 euro base price ($346,00).
